Turbine-engine



F. P. MACHADO.

TURBINE ENGINE. APPLICATION FiLED SEPT. 18, 1918.

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Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

F. .P. MACHADO. TURBINE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. I918.

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FAUSTO PEDREIRA MACHADO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TURBINE-ENGINE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

Application filed September 18, 1918. Serial No. 254,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FAUs'ro PEDREIRA MACHADO, a citizen of the United States of Brazil, residin at 65 West 52nd street, city, county, and tate of New York, have invented new' and useful Improvements in Turbine-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to turbine engines, and more particularly to reversible engines having steam as a motive agent, although it is to be understood that other motive agents can be employed with equal efliciency.

An object of my invention is the provision of a reversible steam turbine which utilizes the maximum kinetic energy of the motive fluid during rotation in either direction, and an engine which contains the desirable features of simplicity, durability, and high efficiency.

Another object of my invention is the provision in combination with an improved turbine of the character set forth, of a cooling means which is operable by the turbine shaft for cooling the same.

I willdescribe a turbine engine and one form of cooling means embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing, in central longitudinal section, one form of turbine engine and cooling means embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line TIL-III of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary detail view showing a portion of the turbine engine shown in the preceding figures.

Similar reference characters re for to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, T designates generally a turbine engine which comprises a stator S and a rotor R. The stator S comprises an annulus 10 formed with a supporting base ing flanges 12, to which latter are secured side plates 13 which coact with the annulus to form a cylindrical chamber in which the rotor R is adapted to work. The side plates 11, and circumferentially extend 13 are formed centrally with alined openings in which the shaft A is journaled.

In the present instance, I have shown the walls of the openings of the plates 13 provided with annular flanges 13, the left hand flange being spaced from the corresponding opening to accommodate a roller bearing B. The bearing B is confined between the flange 13 and the shaft A by a ring 13". One end of the shaft A is supported in the roller bearing B, while the shaft is again supported intermediate its ends and exteriorly of the stator S by a standard C. As shown in Fig. 1, the major portion of the shaft A is hollow to provide a chamber for receiving the valve mechanism for controlling the admission of steam or other motive agent to the rotor B. As here shown, the valve mechanism comprises a pair of valves V and V, which are disposed withinthe hollow portion of the shaft A and which are adapted to be simultaneously actuated by means of a stem M throu h the medium of a wheel W. The stem 1 is formed integral with the valve V, extends exteriorly of the stator S, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and is connected with a source of steam supply. The valves V and V are connected at their inner ends for simultaneous movement, and are provided with ports 1; and 1) respectively, disposed at right an les to each other. To maintain the valves and V and the stem M in their proper positions within the shaft A, I interpose between these elements and the shaft A, a casing K supported by bushings '14. Within the casing K are disposed elements which coact to support the valve casings and to lock the valves V and V against longitudinal movement. The casing K is formed with openings 76, and the shaft A is formed with openings a, with which the ports '0 and o are adapted to register to admit steam to the rotor R, as will be hereinafter described.

Althoughl have described one particular form of valve mechanism for controlling the admission of steam to the rotor'.'I consider it within the scope of my invention to provide a shaft having hollow ends and perforated walls to which is su plied the steam through pipes controlled I y a three-way cock.

As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1, the.

rotor R comprises a central supporting plate 15, and end plates 16, all of which are formed with suitable openings to receive the shaft A. The central plate 15 divides the rotor into two separate and distinct compartments, in each of which is arranged a solid element lT-and convolute partitions 18 which coact to form a sairal passage P or I The spiral passage iPis clearly shown in Fig. 2 and is a right handed spiral for causing the rotor to be driven in clockwise direction, while the spiral passage P is a left handed s )iral, as indicated in dash lines in Fig. 2, an is adapted to drive the rotor in the opposite direction.

he end plates 16 are of such a diameter that their peripheries are spaced from the inner surface of the annulus 10 to provide a steam receiving and condensing chamber. It will be noted that the side plates 16 are disposed concentrically of the shaft A, but that the spiral passage P or P is not a true spiral, and that its outlet end terminates at the point where the spiral would begin to decrease in width were the partitions 18 extended. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the purpose thereof is to provide anoutlet of maximum area so that the rotor will not be restricted.

As shown in Fig. 2, the spiral P or I increases progressively in dimensions from the axis of the rotor toward the periphery thereof, so that both the velocity and the expansive force of the steam or their motive agent will be utilized. Each spiral passage P or P is provided with vanes Z, which extend transversely of the passage and which are spaced apart distances increasing progressively from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof.

In the present instance I have shown certain of the vanes Z secured to the confronting walls of the partitions 18, at opposite points, and other vanes interposed between adjacent pairs of vanes and secured to the end plates 16, The intermediate vanes are arranged on an axial line which passes between the confronting ends of each pair of vanes, so that the intermediate vanes span the space between each pair of vanes. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide a tortuous passage for the motive agent and to thus utilize the maximum kinetic energy. Although I have described one particular arrangement of vanes, it is to be understood that various forms and arrangements of vanes may be used so long as the desired result of utilizing the maximum kinetic energ I is obtained.

The operation of the turbine T is as follows:

Steam or any other motive agent is ad mitted to the valve V or V through the stem M and, with the valve mechanism in the exhaust of the steam from the position shown in Fig. 1, steam is admitted into the inlet end of spiral passage 1, whereupon it traverses such passage and exhausts into the stator S. During the steams travel through the spiral, the vanes Z and the particular form of the passage l causes the steam to completely expend its turned-to a position wherein communication between valve V and passage P is discontinued and the port of valve V is moved into registration with the inlet end of pas sage P. Be *ause the ports '0 and v are arranged at right angles to each other, it is obvious that a quarter of a turn of the stem M is all that valves to these positions. Steam now enters passage P through valve V and thus causes the rotor to revolve in the opposite direction. The action of the steam durin the reverse movement of the rotor R is identical to the action of the steam during the forward movement; wherefore it will be seen that'the ,efliciency and consequently the power developed is the same, irrespective of the direction of movement of the rotor.

Although I have shown and described the spirals P and P rigidly connected for movement together, I consider it within the scope of my invention to form the spirals separate and independent of each other for use in conjunction with the three-way cock previously mentioned, so that either spiral can berotated while the other is at rest.

To maintain the temperature of the shaft A as low as possible during use of the turbine, I provide a cooling means which is indicated generally at F. In the present instance, this cooling means comprises a casing 20 which surrounds the shaft A, as

shown in Fig. 1, and in which is arranged a rotor 21, fixed to the shaft A for rotation therewith. The rotor 21 is in effect a centrifugal pump and comprises a pair of spaced annular plates Ql which are connected by an outer series of plates 22 and inner series of plates 23. The plates of one series are arranged in alternate relation to the plates of the other series, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. \Vatcr or any other cooling medium is admitted to the casing 20 through a T-shaped passage formed in the shaft- A, and upon rotation of such shaft the water is caused to circulate around the shaft by means of the plates 22 and 23 then shaft and having a continuous spiral of 10 passing out of an exhaust port 24;. In this progressively increasing Width from the manner, a constant circulation of water axis of the rotor toward the periphery about the shaft is maintained so that inthereof, of means operable by said shaft for,

5 jurions heating of the shaft is prevented. cooling the same.

What I claim is: In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 The combination with a reversible turname to this specification.

bine engine, comprising a stator, a shaft journaled therein, a rotor secured to said FAUSTO PEDREIRA MACHADO. 

